We Canceled our Cable!

When we got really serious about saving money, we canceled our cable! That, and well, the Lakers were losing a lot anyway. Generally we only watched TV for Lakers games and cooking shows. We were paying a good chunk of $85 for cable alone; now we only pay $7.99 a month for Netflix. Well, that plus we bought a Roku for an initial cost of $99. We’ve saved a lot of money, and we use our time more wisely now!

This is one great option to cut down on bills! Think of that extra $77.01 per month! After the second month, the initial cost of the Roku is also recouped. It’s been great so far. I actually ended up watching more TV at times because Roku comes with anime on it! It has a lot of different channels that are free. For someone like me who doesn’t watch regular TV programs, it’s pretty awesome.

Mostly though, we spend less time watching TV and doing other things. For one, I started this blog after we canceled cable! Instead of zoning out in front of the TV after dinner, I do blog stuff instead. We also spend time together. Time spent watching TV side-by-side isn’t really quality time. The level of engagement there is pretty much zero.

The one really crazy part about cancelling our cable is what we had to deal with afterwards. We had been with DirecTV for over two years. DirecTV uses a satellite, thus we had a big satellite dish sitting on our balcony. They had nicely come over to install all the wiring needed and to setup the dish when we first signed on with them. Afterward, they just sent a box for the cable boxes! They left the satellite where it is, all the wiring, and there was absolutely no option for them to take it back.

Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence with companies that use satellite dishes. They won’t take it back because they hope the next resident will see it installed already and use their services. They do ask us to send back their cable boxes. They sent a box that has special packaging inside that is reusable. They tout this reusable packaging and its benefits for the environment and how they constantly reuse it. They went in two completely opposite directions when it came to their responsibility for their equipment.

Well, as for me, I would have considered using them again in the future, but not so after this experience. Their policy is absolutely anti-environment as the dish and wiring are electronic waste. Not only did we have to take down the dish and cables ourselves, but we had to figure out how to dispose of it properly. Luckily, we were able to find a hazardous waste facility nearby. We will never again go with a company with such a horrible policy.

A very important lesson learned. Before signing on with a company, find out what their policies are after you cancel with them. A company that does not treat customers well even after they cancel is not a company I would like to deal with. The companies that deserve our business are the ones that treat customers well before, during, and after.

I’m really happy that we did this in the end! No more huge satellite on our balcony blocking the sun and the view. It’s amazing how liberating it feels! We’re also saving a lot of money, $924 per year, and we have more time doing other things.

How much do you pay for your cable? Have you ever considered canceling it?

2 thoughts on “We Canceled our Cable!”

The costs might be different because of different cities possible. Our cable costs broke down into: $62 for the programming, $10 for HD DVR set-top box, $6 for an additional TV, $3 for whole-home DVR service, $2 for regional sports fee, plus some additional taxes and fees. Wish our cable bill had only been $60!